Big bike finish, unshakeable handling, comfortable ride, long-distance touring, decent fuel efficiency … There are so many things that work for the Inazuma. But at twice the cost of the CBR 250R, more holes may be burnt in pockets than rubber on the road

It’s early in the morning. I am happily cruising at 80 kmph in sixth gear on a relatively deserted Noida-Greater Noida expressway when, unexpectedly, a rookie rider on a brand-new Honda CBR 150R decides to challenge me. He goes past me, slows down, and again overtakes. In the process, I note that he has this ‘air of superiority’ about his new bike. The biker in me also observes that he thinks I am riding some puny 150-cc motorcycle. Now, I respect the impressive 150-cc he is on, but my bike thinks differently. I downshift to fourth.

Pull the throttle. And in a matter of seconds the poor fellow is reduced to a mere speck in my rear-view mirror. That’s the Suzuki Inazuma for you. (In Japanese, inazuma means the ‘lightning that strikes in a thunderstorm’.) This incident, in a way, also demonstrates both the strength and the weakness of the newest quarter-litre to enter India. Sure, the Inazuma is quick but, at first glance, especially from the sides, doesn’t look so.

The design

However, on a closer inspection, especially from the front and the rear, you do realise that the Inazuma is a big bike that does justice to its quarter-litre status. The first thing you notice is a big, muscular tank. Then there is a bold front mudguard that is a size bigger than what you get in most other bikes in this segment. The one-piece seat is large and very supportive. The handlebars are wide and, in combination with the seating position, allow for a commuter-like riding posture. What attracts eyeballs are the two exhaust pipes on either side—they make the bike look like a 500-cc one. Yes, it has got a solid presence but, beyond that, the bike fails to excite you. First, the headlamp design is basic—some may even find it ugly. Second, the instrument cluster, which though has all the essentials, has got some missing bits; for example, at one time, you can either see the odometer or the digital clock, not both. Then, some riders, if they are wearing gloves, may find it inconvenient